Being open about things

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I try to be open about having a serious mental illness, and being on the spectrum . It's not always easy,posting about it , though when you get people saying "Everyone behaves like that at times" which is further explained by "behaves like animals" . You call them out on it and they semi apologise only to then throw mention of religious fanatics,serial killers and terrorists into the conversation.

It is likely that most people do not really understand as they are not capeable of understanding.

I know what you mean. It feels like people are downplaying whatever one is struggling with when that happens. I think that the intention is good as far as they are trying to make you feel better about things, but it can certainly feel invalidating.

I’ve experienced this sort of thing myself and am not sure what the answer is.

It is a bit like one is a computer and ones brain is using a different operating system. Trying to get another person to actually understand the thought processes. How can they when their operating system is different to yours? All they can do is try to find something similar in their operating system and assume them to be the same.


But maybe a better analagy is to say they are running the same operating system, but yours has portions of the system missing. They can kind of relate but not fully understand the implications as their system works fine.

Sorry,I don't understand. Do you mean "being on the spectrum is a serious mental illness" and people disagree, or do you mean "serious mental illnes, like, say, schizophrenia, on top of being on the spectrum"?
Because I haven't had anyone compare autism to terrorism, to make autism seem as not serious. Obviously, I didn't get what you're saying. Could you elaborate? Thanks

I don't feel most people associate autism with being something like a violent serial killer.

People who are knowledgeable KNOW that people with severe mental illness, by and large, are harmless folks.

THAT.

Plus apparently I project a really good image. People (outside my inner circle) have no clue what's going on in the inside.

I do my best to be open about having both a serious mental illness, and also being on the autism spectrum . In no way am I saying being on the spectrum is itself a serious mental illness .

However a combination of the two probably affects functioning more than just having one or the other . That is especially true if it takes decades for it to be recognised there is more going on than just mental illness .

I don’t go around telling people that I am autistic. It’s none of their business.

If they decide I am autistic, that’s cool.

Stigma

Misconception

Misunderstood

Miscommunication

Excessive self disclosure could make someone uncomfortable, or it could lead to someone else to tell you that they are just like you

At your risk